The Exiles (Book 1 of the Exiles Series)

Twenty-Three

The look on Magnus's face in response was all over the map. There was a dash of surprise, some awe, maybe, a bit of anger and a sprinkle of revulsion here and there. A silence had fallen, one so thick that I felt as though I were choking on it. Magnus stared at me for several minutes before he dared to respond.

I caught a glimpse of Nicole staring at me from her place in front of the others. At some point she had fallen to the ground and was staring at me in surprise. Her mouth was spread comically wide. If it had been a different set of circumstances, I would have burst out laughing. Right now, I didn't dare. All I could do was stare back at Magnus, awaiting a reaction.

A tiny cry erupted from his throat. It was inhuman, almost like he was some sort of dying creature instead of a teenage boy. The cry was so soft that no one else besides me would have heard it. I was tempted to reach over and squeeze his hand, to assure Magnus that everything was okay, that we were together on this. Did he feel the same way?

I watched as the bow fell from Magnus's hand. It clattered to the ground, the arrow leaving its position and skidding between my legs. "What...could you repeat that?" Magnus stammered, his voice a whisper and higher than it should have been. I nodded. "I have feelings for you," I repeated, my voice much louder than before. For the first time the audience gasped and began to murmur amongst themselves.

"You...do?" Magnus managed, blushing red. I took a deep breath and then nodded. "Yeah," I replied. "Yes, I do."

Magnus brought a hand to his forehead and rubbed it through his shaggy hair. "Wow," he breathed, though I could tell it wasn't in amazement or happiness or something else.

"But...you're not supposed to. I...I'm crazy. You're not supposed to fall for someone like me." I looked him right in the eye, and tried to smile, though I was very uncomfortable with the situation. I blushed pink, just like Magnus did.

"I don't care," I told him, my voice steady and sure. "You know that's not how I feel. It's...what Nicole wanted me to believe, even though I didn't completely agree."

It was how I felt. I had defied Nicole in many ways when I chose Magnus. I could have chosen anyone else on this wretched island. But it didn't matter. Magnus was the one meant for me, and I knew it. It was fate that we had met in the first place. At that moment, I didn't care what anyone said, not even Nicole.

Suddenly Nicole stepped away from the rest of the group and faced Magnus impatiently. "Excuse me," she interrupted, looking fierce. Magnus looked up, not looking happy.

"What?" he snapped. Nic rolled her eyes at his annoyance. "Let her go," she told him. "And then you're coming with us." Nicole leapt up from the ground and drew her weapon. Several others did the same.

"Just leave me alone," Magnus retorted. He stepped away from where I was cowered on the ground, just enough to let me stand. "Thank you," I muttered, dusting myself off. Magnus didn't reply.

"But you can't, Talia," Magnus told me. "I won't let you have feelings for me. I...can't let you."

I set him with a horrible glare. "You can't tell me what to do," I told him. Magnus snorted. "Then you can't tell me what to do," he countered.

"Fine," I told him. "But won't you stay with me?" I reached for his hand. He took a step back. Nicole inched closer.

Magnus shook his head sadly, looking regretful. "I'm sorry. I can't." I looked toward Nicole. Her glare had decreased in intensity just a little bit. She now looked worried--and sad. Sasha, Sammy, and the others followed at her heels, looking as though they were on high alert.

"Nicole will leave," I promised him. At these words his eyes seemed to widen ever so slightly, almost though Nicole was the only interest in the matter. Nicole glared questioningly at me, but said nothing.